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Altru Specialty Center Opens Surgical Services

Altru Health System, Grand Forks, ND – Today, Altru completed the opening of its newest hospital, Altru Specialty Center, as it opened the surgical services portion of the facility. Seven patients are being served through surgical services on the first day. On March 25, the inpatient rehabilitation unit opened.

“Opening the region’s premier facility dedicated to orthopedic and podiatry surgeries as well as inpatient rehabilitation services is a significant milestone for the history of health care in our region,” said Brad Wehe, Altru Chief Operating Officer. The last time a hospital opened in Grand Forks was the completion of The United Hospital (now Altru Hospital) on Columbia Road in 1976.

Located at 4500 South Washington Street in Grand Forks, the 91,042 square foot Altru Specialty Center is a 45-private bed hospital with four operating rooms. It’s the only hospital of its kind in eastern North Dakota to have single specialty care under one roof..

Altru Specialty Center features four operating rooms and 22 patient rooms dedicated to Joint Replacement Center and elective orthopedic procedures, including arthroscopic surgery and podiatry services. As a leader in knee and hip replacement the Center’s goal is to get patients back to their active routines as quickly as possible.

Inpatient rehabilitation is situated on the second floor of Altru Specialty Center. It features 23 spacious patient rooms, a dedicated cafeteria and family day room. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), Altru’s inpatient rehabilitation has the goal of maximizing or restoring a functional level of independence for discharge to a community setting (home, assisted living or basic care).

“Rehabilitative services have a rich history in our community. We are proud to carry on that legacy and provide our patients a beautiful new space featuring all of the necessary services to help our patients restore a functional level of independence,” shared Margaret Reed, Altru Chief Nurse Executive. Moving inpatient rehabilitation patients to Altru Specialty Center also enables Altru to continue plans for private room conversion of Altru Hospital on its Columbia Road campus.

The history of inpatient rehabilitation services in Grand Forks stem back to 1958 when the University of North Dakota’s Medical Center Rehabilitation Hospital opened its doors. In 1968, Altru became one of the first rehabilitation inpatient programs in the United States accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Altru maintains that accreditation today.

History of South Washington Medical Park

Fueled by unprecedented growth with Altru’s physician group, Altru acquired a clinic, hospital, imaging center, and strip mall which now make up South Washington Medical Park. This acquisition enabled Altru to accommodate physician growth and offer expanded access to services at new locations. It also enables private room conversion at Altru Hospital (expected completion in summer 2014).

“Our goal is to provide the best access to care for patients,” said Wehe. “Our growth on South Washington Street has helped us to ensure that care remains immediately available for our patients.”

Since the acquisition in 2012, Altru strategically aligned services for each location. Altru Professional Center’s patient care services include laboratory, gastroenterology, endoscopy center, family medicine and interventional pain management. Future plans call for orthopedic and physical medicine to grow into the remaining spaces of this facility. Altru Specialty Center is also home to the Sleep Center and several imaging services.

Adjacent to the hospital and clinic is Yorhom Medical Essentials (formerly Altru Home Services). This locations is headquarters to services designed to help patients remain independent at home, including infusion therapy, medical equipment, vehicle and home modification, respiratory therapy and rehab technology. Altru’s Hearing Center also has a second location at Yorhom Medical Essentials.